My research involves perylene derivatives that are notoriously insoluble in common organic solvents. One of the most frustrating aspects of my work is obtaining useful NMR, IR, GC-MS, and TLC data on my compounds that will barely go into solution. Using DMSO as the solvent for my NMR and GC samples, I often obtain spectra whose peaks are so low intensity that they are buried in noise. I encounter similar issues with TLC. IR often works using a thin layer of solid compound on a NaCl plate, but my absorption values are usually very low and noisy. Therefore, I have a difficult time interpreting how well my chemistry is going. I have tried alternative solvents such as pyridine, but pyridine has NMR signals that overlap with my compound's and isn't much better at solubilizing my compounds. What other analytical techniques or tricks may allow me to better analyze my insoluble compounds?
Thank you in advance for the advice! I appreciate it very much.